Though 57 countries call Africa home, these pages of photos bring you in touch with two of Africa's nations, both Sub-Saharan. Namibia stretches from more than 1000 kilometers of South-West African coastline to the dry interiors of the Kalahari Desert. South Africa hangs at the southernmost tip of the continent. They share a border along the Orange River that empties into the South Atlantic Ocean.
While mining is a main industry for both countries, travelers often come for the wildlife. All the iconic animals are present: leopards, giraffes, zebras, cheetahs, and elephants, as well a few less well known: warthogs and penguins. Estosha National Park in Namibia is a sanctuary for the large cats, while about 450 African Elephants live in Addo National Park of South Africa.
The Sossusvlei dunes of the Namib Desert are ever-shifting hills of red sand, molded by the meanderings of the occasional river that gathers enough water to reach this far into the desert. A geographical highlight of South Africa is the Cape of Good Hope, splitting the Indian and Atlantic Oceans at the most South-Westerly point of the continent.
Moving away from all the natural wonders of the world, Africa has a lot of social culture to offer. One such social wonder is load balancing, the traditional means for carrying parcels on your head. In South Africa, the markets are a colorful parade of old and new traditions, but load balancing is a common thread through the generations.